NCJ Number
164404
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Victim assistance services in Native American communities in 18 States will be significantly enhanced by $729,745 in grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).
Abstract
Part of the Victim Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) Discretionary Grant Program, the grants are designed to expand existing victim services and firmly establish victim assistance in areas where Native Americans have limited access to victim services. The grants will help tribal communities provide direct services to victims, including crisis intervention, emergency shelters, mental health counseling for victims and their families, court advocacy in Federal court proceedings, and salaries of victim service providers. Since 1988, the OVC has awarded more than $5.9 million to 19 States under the VAIC grant program. As a result, 52 Native American victim assistance programs have been established, and many States now fund tribal victim assistance programs entirely with State revenues. Grant program funds for the VAIC are allocated from the Crime Victims Fund which was created by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 as amended. The Crime Victims Fund receives money entirely from fines, penalty assessments, and bond forfeitures from Federal criminal offenders. A list of participating States and grant amounts is provided.